The Impact of Teachers and Educators on Firesetting Behavior

Firesetting Can be Symbolic of an Emotional Crisis.

Although early childhood firesetting is often the result of curiosity, more serious and intentional fires often stem from an unaddressed emotional problem. A crisis in a child or teenager’s life can trigger a desire to act out by setting a fire. Children, who feel helpless or unable to handle a crisis, can be attracted to the power of fire and start fires to express their fear, confusion or anger. Examples of these triggers are a family divorce, a recent move, the death of a loved one, a remarriage, school failure or physical, sexual or emotional abuse. The fires that they set symbolize whatever is causing the stress and often a particular object or location is targeted. If both the behaviors and the underlying stresses are not addressed then the firesetting will continue, risking community lives and property.

What can teachers and educators do to address these behaviors from a problem solving and communication viewpoint?

Teachers are one of the most valuable windows to our future. Teachers interact with their students on many levels as educators, disciplinarians, coaches, mentors, observers, and listeners. Teachers can help recognize the emergence of early behavior problems. Through purposeful communication with students, school department personnel and fire department personnel, teachers can have an invaluable impact on reducing child-set fires.

One of the most effective ways that teachers can deal with the issue of firesetting is to teach and model fire safety in the classroom. By taking advantage of teaching moments to review fire safety, they can impact a student’s view on firesetting. They can do this through effective fire drills, explaining why exits must be clear and why objects must be placed away from heaters. Teachers can also work closely with their local fire departments to increase their own knowledge of firesetting behavior and share their knowledge with colleagues. Communication with agencies that have firesetting programs and becoming familiar with resources is a great way for teachers to actively participate in the reduction of child-set fires.

If teachers increase their level of awareness about the dangerous issues affecting children and actively work toward reducing those dangers, those dangers will be limited and time can be spent learning in a safe environment.

How else can you, as a teacher, help?

Seek Qualified Help for Your Student
Crisis firesetting is a complex emotional issue. It is important that students are provided with the help of a qualified mental health professional who is experienced in dealing with juvenile firesetting cases. Traditional therapy, which simply explores “feelings,” is not appropriate in firesetting cases.

Be There for Your Students
Frequently older children and teens find it difficult to express their inner feelings to their parents. Because teachers are a positive adult role model, students may feel more comfortable sharing their troubles with your. Listen to your students’ verbal and nonverbal communications. Respond with a sincere respect for what they are sharing with you.

Open Lines of Communication
Reassure your students that you want to hear about the feelings and events that have triggered the firesetting behavior. Listen in a positive and nonjudgmental manner. Your students need to understand that your goal is to stop the behavior because of your concern for their safety, and that you want to do that in a proactive and positive way.

Create Positive Outlets
Firesetting is a behavior that expresses a student’s stress, anger and negative emotions. By providing opportunities to vent these emotions through positive avenues, you can diffuse some of those dangerous feelings. There are many options available to students. Some examples are listed below:

School Sporting Activities – provide a physical outlet for stress.

Mentors – Programs such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters, offer children a positive role model and an outsider to share their feelings with.

Group Counseling – offer children an opportunity to discuss their feelings with others in similar situations.

Most important in dealing with a student that has exhibited firesetting behavior is to be proactive. Take immediate action to address the problem. Don’t assume it will go away or underestimate its seriousness.